The invention relates to a support module for supporting a load, in particular for use in a lithography system, said support module comprising a force compensation spring for at least partially supporting said load. U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,157 describes an omnidirectional vibration-isolating suspension system for supporting an object in an equilibrium position relative to a base while suppressing transmission of vibratory motion between the object and the base, comprising: three composite suspension apparatuses connected between the object and the base, each of said suspension apparatuses comprising spring means adapted to provide positive stiffness in the axial direction and having force supporting capability in the axial direction for supporting the object; and means for producing negative stiffness operatively connected with said spring means wherein said spring means and said negative-stiffness-producing means combine to produce low axial stiffness of the second suspension device which is the algebraic sum of the positive and negative stiffness.
A drawback of the known system is that each of the three composite suspension apparatuses has to be calibrated in order to provide a well defined system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a support module for supporting a target in a lithography system, said support module requiring less or no calibration after being placed within the system.